Mr.  miller’s  Account  of,  &c.  161 
judging  that  authentic  information  is  more  valuable  than 
the  beft  wrought  tale. 
If  you  think  this  paper  contains  any  thing  likely  to 
afford  either  information  or  amufement  to  the  Royal 
Society,  you  will  do  me  the  honour  to  prefent  it. 
I am,  <kc. 
JOHN  FRERE. 
'Extracts  from  fever al  letters  from  Mr.  charles  miller 
(fon  of  the  late  botanic  gardener)  now  fettled  at  Fort 
Malbro’  near  Bencoolen ; giving  forne  account  of  that 
place , . of  the  interior  parts  of  Sumatra,  and  of  a neigh- 
bouring ifland  never  known  to  have  been  vifited  by  any 
European. 
FORT  MALBRO’  is  fituated  about  a mile  and  a 
half  to  the  South  of  the  Malay  town  [Bencoolen]  where 
the  company  formerly  had  their  factory ; but  removed 
from  thence  about  the  year  1710,  on  account  of  the 
unhealthinefs  of  the  place. 
The  fort,  from  which  the  fettlement  takes  its  name, 
ftill  remains  in  the  fame  Rate  in  which  the  French  left  it 
